


Politics and Shoes

by Snow



Category: Party Animals (TV)
Genre: Female Character of Color, Friendship, Gen, Politics, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-14
Updated: 2010-01-14
Packaged: 2017-10-06 06:57:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/50918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snow/pseuds/Snow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Matt and Ashika talk about what she's going to do now.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Politics and Shoes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [starseverywhere](https://archiveofourown.org/users/starseverywhere/gifts).



> Unbetaed, and for stars because she guessed correctly what I wrote.

"I'm not going back to working for James," Ashika said, frowning.

"Of course not," Matt replied.

"It's not because I feel that he took advantage of me," Ashika pointed out. She knew what people were saying. "I'm perfectly capable of making my own decisions."

Matt rolled his eyes. "I know that."

"Good."

"If you want, I can clear out the rest of your stuff from his office."

Ashika gave Matt the most withering look she could. "I think I'm quite capable of doing that myself," she said.

"Particularly if I tell you a time he's definitely not around?"

Ashika sighed. "I'm not running away, Matt," she said. "I'm just making an effort to avoid unnecessarily awkward situations."

"It does look a little like you're running," Matt said.

Ashika appreciated his honesty, even if she really didn't.

"It's not necessarily a bad thing," he said, holding up a hand when she started to object. "You've picked up a fair amount of sympathy."

"I don't want sympathy," she said, since he seemed willing to let her respond now.

"You do if it can place you in the Shadow Office for Children, Schools and Families."

"Hmm?" Ashika asked.

"Madelaine Wilson, the Shadow Secretary of State for-"

"I know who she is," Ashika interrupted, when it was clear that he was going to continue.

"Just covering my bases," Matt said with a smirk that clearly said he'd been teasing her. "You've been out of politics so long..."

"Very funny," she said.

"Yeah, I know, you'd throw a shoe at me if you knew for sure I wouldn't just keep it."

She smiled at him. Although she'd asked Matt over so he could help her develop a plan of attack for her next job, she thought he knew that, really, she just wanted someone around who was willing to pretend that everything would turn out right.

"Anyway, Madelaine has expressed her private sympathy to me over what happened between you and James. 'That poor girl,' she said to me."

Ashika made a face. "She didn't really, did she?"

Matt nodded. "She did. Anyway, you don't have to take her up on it, but I did promise I'd pass her offer along to you. She's looking for a senior researcher."

"She actually made an offer?"

"Pending an interview and a copy of your CV, obviously."

"You're serious?"

"Of course."

Ashika tucked her foot into her lap to remove her shoe and toss it at him.

"What?" Matt asked, looking as innocent as he could, which wasn't very.

"You couldn't have told me that half an hour ago?"

Matt laughed, and handed her shoe back to her. "And ruined my chance to tease you?"

Ashika sighed.

"So, you think you're going to take it?" he asked.

Ashika nodded. "I think I have to. I can't afford to stay out of politics for long. Besides, it would be nice to be in the office of someone on the Shadow Cabinet, and it's probably a better offer than I deserve."

"Don't say that," Matt said, frowning at her.

Ashika shrugged, dismissing his concerns. "I'll send her an e-mail this afternoon."

**Author's Note:**

> I welcome and appreciate all kinds of comments, though I would (obviously) prefer if any criticism was constructive. :)


End file.
